Vacuum Cleaners Discussions

First upright from Miele

29 February 2008 This summer, Miele will launch its first range of upright vacuum cleaners – the S7.  It will consist of about six models, all of which feature ultra large dust bags and  “a unique swivel body, which makes it easy to manoeuvre in even the trickiest  of room layouts”. According to the company,  the decision was made following  numerous requests from customers that wanted to buy Miele  but would only use  an upright model. Text: courtesy ERTweekly.com Picture: courtesy Miele.co.uk, 2009 Edited 21st March 2009; reason: loss of original image.

Trebor: YOU never sold test models, and as you correctly stated, it was your perogative to abstain from selling them.

Carmine: NO.  Not my prerogative.  It's bad business to sell 'test' models.  Why?  They are for 'testing'.  Display. Demo. Advertise.  Not sale

Trebor: I questioned my friend again and he said, yes, absolutely positively these 100 pre-launch units were for sale.

Carmine:Let be perfectly clear for you, my friend.  My vacuum business.  My vacuum store.  My business rules.  I don't care what any vacuum brand maker says about selling its 'test' models.  It's bad business.  I never did it for all the reasons already discussed.  Note the operative words of your friend in the business:  He never received any 'test' model MIELE S7 uprights and says he is glad he didn't.   Even MIELE officials at the corporate headquarters were surprised that this 'test' model S7 was sold to the customer according to the customer's own account here.  Obviously, chaos and confusion abounds (from Miele on down, apparently), [my comment. Trebor] on which MIELE 'test' models to sell and which not to sell. 

Just another reiteration for the MIELE customer's benefit IF SHE INTENDS TO KEEP THE MIELE Salsa now.  The MIELE Salsa comes with a MIELE warranty at the time of purchase.  But, the original sale/purchase of the 'test' model S7 to the customer was in May 2008 and that started the customer's warranty clock on the MIELE.  The warranty on the customer's MIELE is already 10 months along.  The replacement MIELE Salsa does not NECESSARILY restart the warranty clock back to zero just because it's new.  I suggest the customer dicuss the actual warranty remaining on the Salsa and confirm it for a fact with the local MIELE dealer. (perhaps have her copy of the warranty initialed by the store/rep?) [my comment. Trebor] So, in the future, if there is a problem with the MIELE Salsa, all parties know and agree on the warranty terms. (perfectly logical, no argument there at all) [my comment. Trebor]

Carmine, my friend, it sounds like we are singing in different keys. I never for a moment questioned your right to conduct business as you saw fit. Nor was I questioning your opinion about selling test models. (Actually, I agree) It sounded like you were disagreeing that Miele DID in fact offer test, (beta, prototype, whatever) models for sale. It was obviously successful in one respect: it prompted design changes. In every other respect it was a disaster. Miele was obviously not prepared for anything to go wrong with the test models during the warranty period, since they did not train their dealers how to fix them.

No one has mentioned any previous sale of test models by Miele prior to the S7 pre-launch. In all probability such never occurred. Since the inception of the plastic box canisters any changes to Miele canisters have been mere refinements. (some of them substantial, to be sure) The S7 was a totally new product from the ground up. No matter how well designed and tested a totally new product is, whether or not it is called a test model, it is, and the engineering, management, and customer service teams need to have their "fingers on the 'jeopardy' button", as it were, to respond swiftly and decisively to any issues no matter how slight. It is incumbent on the creators of a philosophy like "Immer Bessser" to jealously and zealously guard it. If there is no resolution yet for the customers issue, but they have been promised a phone call, they are entitled to that phone call, even if the customer is likely going to be hostile. The company who has their money owes them that call on the day the call was promised. THAT'S how you build credibility with a customer, and win their patience to have a little more time. That's how you keep faith in 'Immer Besser.' YOU NEVER, EVER say, "so-and-so will call and let you know what he can do, if anything" or worse, "at least he can console you". How utterly patronizing and infuriating! That kind of comment is blasphemy in customer care.  If there is no resolution yet, you say something like, "I do apologize, but your situation (never problem, because the customer is never the problem, and even if they are, you do not say anything of the kind,)  will take a bit more research to make sure we handle this properly. And if they become hostile, you let them vent, and say, "I understand, but this resolution will be coming from above my pay grade ma'am. Certainly, yes, I can let you speak with xyz now, but he/she is unable to finalize anything at this moment. We are working on it and I will speak to him/her right away."

And then, you get off the phone, and your duff, with your page of notes, go to the supervisor and say, "The next time she calls, if we don't have this fixed, she is going to insist on speaking to you, or your boss, or his/her boss, and I will tranfer the call.  This needs to be escalated and resolved NOW. Here are all the notes, and a record of all the calls. It's why your paygrade is higher than mine. Handle it." I always had extra copies ready to fax to whomever, so it could never be shoved back to me when there was nothing I could do, and I had already done all that I could. A company that values its reputation has to be more diligent and speedier that all the competition (which usually is not hard) to be above reproach. But it is every moment, every customer, every day. It matters, because no one gives a rat"s behind about the next guy or gal's wallet. Like the Janet Jackson song, "What have you Done for Me Lately?" It's all that matters. There is no entitlement to special consideration or slack from the customer. It's what you earn with them by following through, no matter how difficult it may be. And most customers, once you prove you are serious about helping them, are more than willing to be fair and reasonable. There are the rare exceptions, but fortunately they are rare.

A few have responded to me privately to say I spoke out of turn. If the entire situation had been handled swiftly and pro-actively (starting with preparation and communication from Miele to their reps and dealers) there would have been nothing to speak about, would there? One of the functions of public forums like this is precisely the way Melanie used it. Not happily, mind you, but nonetheless it may or may not have played a part in the speedy exchange of her S7. Using  a 'bojack' part for any in-warranty repair is never acceptable, and neither is any unorthodox repair. on an in warranty product. Every vac shop I know of has loaner vacs to offer if the repair will take over 24 hrs. The Kirby, Lux, and Rainbow offices all had their brand loaners at the ready. A Panasonic or Cirrus upright loaner, along with phone calls made when promised, every time they were promised, would have gone a long, long way to satisfying Catlady. Ultimately, Miele stepped up to the plate. And even if the exchange could not have happened any sooner, it could have gone a lot smoother, easier, and with less aggravation. I give anybody, individual or corporation, as much respect and consideration as they earn. THAT'S the way it is in a free market economy.

And, it is perfectly acceptable to refund a customer's money carte blanche and say, "I'm sorry, but we are obviously unable to satisfy your needs. We wish you better luck elsewhere."  I did that with several Electrolux customers, informing them, and the factory that they had no remaining warranty since they had surrendered the product, (not knowing they were going to do that when I picked it up they got a check and a letter via certified mail.)  The same was done to a customer who returned THREE refrigerators, for no reason other than she decided she didn't like any of them. She will never spend any money in any HHGREGG store ever again. Don't want her money, don't need it. And several Centennial Wireless customers had their service unilaterally cancelled w/o penalty and were sent out the door because they just could not be satisfied no matter what was done in their behalf.  "We reserve the right to refuse service to anyone" does not apply only to food and beverage establishments. So it does work both ways.

This was easier than replying individually. I'm glad to be here. And Carmine, you are still my 'bestus vac buddy'. You are the reason I looked up the forum.

Trebor

You can't make someone else's business choices.  You shouldn't let someone else make yours.

Carmine D.

I have to say I'm even more impressed with this replacement S7.  It seems to do an even better job than my prototype.  It has more pull when you push forward and it fights just a bit when you pull it back.  It seems to be more powerful, but it has the same motor as the prototype did so I'm not sure where the difference is.

One of the things I didn't like in my first review of the S7 was the brush tool.  That has been improved with this version and I'm really happy with it.  The prototype brush opening was smaller and the brush itself very close together so it was useless to me since it immediately clogged.  This one is more open and pulls the globs of hair, etc. right through.  I'm very happy with the replacement.  Everything else seems to be in line with the prototype.

Melanie

catlady wrote:

IMMER BESSER!

Melanie,

I am absolutely thrilled for you. I hope you let your vac shop and Miele know how happy you are with your new S7. Did you get clarification on the warranty?

Trebor

Trebor wrote:

I did.  The warranty will start from my original purchase of the prototype S7.  However the warranty was different for the prototype.  It was a 2 year total warranty, but the Vac Shop told me I have 1 year parts, 7 years motor.  Since I've had the S7 for almost a year, then I only have a couple of months left for parts, and a little under 7 years for motor.

Melanie

Trebor wrote:

The new MIELE vacuums come with a factory product warranty.  Independent vacuum store owners/operators, especially authorized MIELE dealers, can, at their own expense and effort, extend/improve on the MIELE warranty, w/o MIELE's approval/sanction, whenever, wherever and however they should feel the need to do so.  Most especially with their best business customers. 

Carmine D.

Alittle HEADS UP for you all, Miele will warranty machines that are 10 to 15 years old, Call the 800 tech line and give them grief about their machines that were never suppose to break,at least thats what the authorized miele dealer told me, They will cave in and you get a new vacuum or free parts under their  business credo, I hope the general public BUSTS them ,they deserve it.

regards

MOLE

mole wrote:

Hello MOLE:
I was thinking more the "cookie" than the "complaining" approach to build a customer/dealer business relationship, IF she keeps the Salsa.

Carmine D.

Coming back on to add some information to this thread, apologies if it's been stated already but there seems to be quite a bit of "filler" in this thread that I have no interest in trying to read through.

Now that I've had a chance to get some "hands on" experience with a Miele S7 (early February, Bolero model), I can finally comment.  What a fantastic machine this is, Miele definitely got it right here.  Like any other high-end Miele it carries a large pricetag, but it's one of the few cleaners (unlike the Simplicity Synergy/Riccar Radiance for example) that actually FEELS like a $700-900 upright.  You get what you pay for.  All parts of the machine are extremely well constructed and are quite sturdy.  It has a bit of handle weight but is easy to push, turns on a dime, and does a wonderful job of grooming the carpet.  With the brushroll turned off, it also does a surprisingly good job on bare floors.  Not too terribly noisy either; the Automatic setting comes in handy here.  On the electronic models with this setting, the machine automatically slows down when the stretch hose is fully extended, preventing the hose from collapsing and the machine from either being pulled into you or knocked over.  Anyone who is looking at the S7 should definitely choose the electronic controls over the dial-equipped models, you won't regret it. 

Catlady (Melanie), sorry to hear about your unfortunate experience with your previous machine, but I'm glad you like your current S7.  There was no reason for the repair shop to have pried on the machine to remove the old hose other than that they were most likely unaware of how it attached.  It simply twists and pulls out.  In addition, the hose on the current production models IS a bit shorter than that on the early production models.  The red S7s were in fact actual production machines, not prototypes or "test" models; it's just that a limited number (around 250 or so IIRC) were produced to satisfy the Diamond Dealers and to gauge the consumers' reactions before the remaining line was introduced.  So they were still production models, just very, very early in the run.  What you may or may not realize is that there is NO formal repair training for Miele dealers, nor is there an official service manual for any model whatsoever!  All that is given in the way of repair documentation is an exploded parts diagram, and that's IT.  For any sort of repairs you are expected to call Miele Technical Support and have them guide you through the repair.  Or, in the case of the repair shop you took your machine to, start removing screws or prying, and hope for the best.  One other interesting thing I noticed repair-wise was that if the cord goes bad, is damaged, etc., the ENTIRE handle/cord/switch assembly must be replaced.  The cord cannot simply be removed and replaced separately.  Direct from Miele, this assembly is around $70, with a $139 retail price tag.  I can only imagine someone bringing their 3-month-old S7 in with a chewed-up cord, and their reaction to having to shell out $150 to replace it.

-MH